An Awakening
by Matosawitko
Summary: He awakes from a drunken stupor to find himself in an unknown location, all alone - or is he?  This story is set approximately 8 years after the Shattering, and may contain minor Cataclysm spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Fingers scratched idly through the fur on his chest as he squinted up at the ceiling, trying to get his bearings. Random thoughts and memories danced around the edge of consciousness, none of them daring the full exposure of his direct attention.

_What happened last night?_

His mouth felt woolen, as did his head. He could vaguely remember being very angry about something. He had been angry, and drinking. He didn't drink much these days. But it had seemed like the thing to do at the time. Then someone had arrived - someone that he vaguely knew through the drunken haze, though right now he could not recall who or how. It seemed like they were somehow involved in the reason he was so angry. Or had they been trying to stop it - to stop him from doing something stupid? Or to stop someone doing something to him?

He continued to stare at the ceiling, pondering the unusual design. He was pretty sure he had been in Tanaris, or somewhere hot and dusty. This ceiling, however, was not the stucco of Gadgetzan. His eyes slid closed again as his brain tried to make sense of things.

So he had been angry and drinking in Tanaris, someone else had been there, and now he wasn't sure where he was. _That_ at least was a somewhat more familiar feeling. It seemed like the last few months had been a blur of constant action, never staying in the same place long. Not that his life in general had ever been very sedentary. Even while raising his adopted daughter, real life had intruded far too often.

He smiled at the thought of his daughter, now fully grown enough to be out on her own. They met whenever possible in the Tauren district of Orgrimmar. Although she was a druid also, she followed a different path from his own. That was only right - she lived her own life, and had grown into a young woman with grace and wisdom far beyond her tender years. Last he heard, a few days ago she was in Ashenvale, or maybe Azshara, with her best friend. The Tauren paladin and troll druid made an interesting pair.

The hand on his chest changed motion, massaging his large pectoral muscles. He shifted slightly and sighed. Then his eyes snapped open. His left hand lay empty on the bed, while the right lay cupped around something warm and... soft, but firm too. He moved his fingers, tracing the outline of a hip. Then they arrived at what could only be the base of a tail. That was not entirely unusual - like any Tauren, he had a tail of his own, even though the one he felt now was definitely not his. Neither was the hip, or the hand on his chest.

"By the Earthmother!" he swore quietly in Taurahe.

"Mmm?" came a mumbled response. Then the hand continued its slow trek across his chest.

He was definitely awake now. He realized that all of the unusual sensations had been there all along. They had been dancing with the rest of his thoughts, just outside conscious range. His eyes closed in concentration as he tried to bring them into focus. A head nestled on his bicep, breath tickling through the hair on his chest. Below that he could feel two breasts pressing against his ribs. Further down must be those hips and tail. A leg and hoof lay askew across his own. He had not encountered these particular sensations in many years - not since...

He stopped that line of thought, banishing it back to the dance. His hand continued its exploration, prompting a gasp of air across his chest as he stroked down the tail to its blunt end. Definitely not a Tauren tail.

_**WHAT**__ happened last night?_

More jumbled images and sounds wandered through his memory. A path through the hills in the dark. Shouting, far away. A thin blue woman with glowing eyes. A boat bobbing in the darkness, its lamps reflected on the water's surface.

He opened his eyes again and glanced down, his eyes struggling to focus on the head that lay a few inches away. She had horns, but they were completely different from Tauren horns. These were blue, and swept back around her ears. Her face looked peaceful, her eyes closed. A small button nose and thin lips, stretched in a slight smile. No fangs or tusks. She had a few small tendrils on each side of her face that seemed to sway on their own, and long, flowing dark hair. Her hand continued moving across his chest, even as she pretended sleep.

He realized that he knew her face. She had been there - on the boat, on the path, at the tavern. But that was not the extent of it - he knew her from long ago too. They had first met before the Shattering. Before he had discovered Lith'atal at the Orgrimmar orphanage and raised her as his daughter. Before the Forsaken had rolled their plague vehicles over the rolling terrain of Hillsbrad, and the Alliance had retaliated by crushing Camp Taurajo. They had met there in Hillsbrad, along a road in the no-man's-land between Tarren Mill and Southshore. He had saved her life then. He suspected that she had returned the favor last night.

"Aur... Auryon? What..." He licked his dry lips. "What happened? Where are we?" He paused for a moment as her large blue eyes opened, then grinned sheepishly and switched to Common. "Sorry. I haven't had to speak in Common in a long time. Guess I'm out of practice."

She smiled gently, then spoke in a husky murmur. "That's okay - it's not my first language either. Though you were speaking it well enough last night. Well enough despite the alcohol, I should say. The Alliance soldiers definitely caught your..."

She must have seen the look of confusion on his face, because she pushed herself up on her elbow and looked directly into his large brown eyes. "You don't remember any of it, do you?"

"Of course! I... um." He stopped. "Vague images, that's it."

"Hmmph." She snuggled back down, her fingers tracing down the muscles of his left arm. "Well, thanks to you I'm probably not welcome back in Gadgetzan for quite a while. You either, for that matter. At least until the matter with the goblins and soldiers is resolved."

"Goblins? I don't remember any goblins."

"You wouldn't. They weren't actually there at the tavern, unless they arrived after I dragged your heavy ass out of there. Seems that one of your goblin cohorts in the Horde got himself mixed up in something over his head. In his panic, he ended up bumbling into a group of Alliance soldiers outside the bar. They roughed him up a little, then came into the bar bragging about it. That's when things got interesting."

"Still not ringing a bell, though I remember being at the bar."

"Well, you were already a couple sheets to the wind. I had came in just a few moments before the soldiers, and you were already there ranting about something else. Were you in Uldum yesterday?"

He screwed up his face in thought for a moment. "I think so. Somewhere hot with a lot of sand, anyway."

"So, they came in bragging about having messed up this goblin brat. I told them that I didn't think their conduct was becoming to upstanding members of the Alliance. They started to get... rude... with me. That's when you went nuts and launched all three of them into the wall behind the bar. When the alarm went up, it sounded like some of the local Alliance folk wanted to lynch you on the spot. Meanwhile, the goblins were on their way to put a smackdown on the soldiers. In the confusion, I grabbed you and dragged you over the pass to Thousand Needles. This is my boat, by the way. Once we were on the boat, you passed out. I piloted us to the far end of Thousand Needles. Should be pretty safe here, for now. So, that's about it."

"Well, that definitely explains a lot. Brings some of the stray images back in line, anyway. I'm still curious, though..." He trailed off.

She waited for a moment, then prompted, "Yes?"

"Well, it's been a very long time since I woke up... naked? next to a beautiful woman."

She giggled. "You did that too. Well, mostly. Early this morning you woke up from where you had passed out on the deck, and started tearing off all your clothes. I tried to quiet you down, but you kept making all kinds of noise. Plus, I was worried that you would fall overboard. Finally I put you on the bed and tried to tuck you in. But you grabbed me and pulled me down next to you. It made you quiet, so I didn't complain. Much..." She winked at him.

"That explains _my_ clothes. What happened to yours?"

She paused, a flush stealing across her face. "You said it's been a long time... It has been a long time for me, too." She was lost for a moment in pensive thought, a cloud that passed across her face and then vanished.

"I couldn't help but notice that you are very well put together. For a Tauren, that is." She winked again as she stroked his arm. "Everybody thinks that hunters have their pets for companionship, but it just isn't the same. _Definitely _not when it comes to, well... sex. I got up this morning and... I just didn't think I could take it anymore. You weren't awake yet, so I figured I might be able to wake you up in more ways than one."

"But I don't... we didn't... ?"

"Not yet."

He swore again, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. As he rolled to face her and wrapped his arms around her body, he murmured, "Are all Draenei women this... direct?"

"Only those of us who find something we want."


	2. Chapter 2

The cabin was silent as the boat slipped past the large sloops of the Southsea pirates, bobbing at anchor along the channel to the sea. Both inhabitants sat quietly, arms around one another as they watched out the windows for any sign of notice or pursuit. But the ships lay dark in the quiet night, and no signal appeared. He broke the silence as the small boat turned north toward Ratchet.

"So, when we return to civilization, it is back to 'business as usual' between us?"

She rested her head on his shoulder before replying. "And just what 'business' would that be?"

"You know, being Alliance vs. Horde and all that. Under most circumstances and in most places, our presence together would raise a few eyebrows, at the very least. Some areas, it would raise a lot more than that."

"In other words, you'll act like you want to kill me, and I act like I want to kill you. Sounds like a typical relationship."

"C'mon, Aur, be serious."

"I am. I don't understand why this has to be such a secret. There are plenty of organizations that recruit from both Alliance and Horde - Earthen Ring, the Cenarion Circle, the Argent Dawn. Maybe we could join up with one of them. What about a neutral town, or a diplomatic mission? I'm not saying we need to get married, settle down and have fat furry children. But you're talking as though we can never see each other again."

"It could come to that, yes." He turned to look at her. "Do you have any idea how difficult it would be, unable to live near our other friends and family? I'm not sure that children are even a possibility, but even if they were, would you want them to hear the whispers and cruel jokes of others? Life would be constant struggle against closed minds and closed doors. I would rather not be with you and prevent the harm that might come, than to intentionally put you in harm's way. Ultimately, I would rather have a small hurt now over a much larger hurt later."

Tears welled up in her eyes. She buried her face in his shoulder to hide them, but the sobs were not so easy to mask. After a moment, she gained enough composure to reply. "You're right. It kills me, but you're right. Still, I wish there were another way." She pulled her arm away and turned her back to him. "So I guess this is goodbye, then?"

He hesitated for a moment, then placed a large hand on her shoulder. "Auryon, it is the only way. It hurts me to part this way, too. If we find one another again, so be it. But it will destroy both of us if we try to push this, now, here."

She shrugged him off and stalked to the other side of the cabin. He sat and watched her go - wanting to run to her, to hold and comfort her. Then suddenly she turned, a look of delight on her face. "I know!"

"Unidentified craft, halt and stand by for boarding!" The loud voice from outside startled both of them. Forgetting whatever solution she had been about to report, she grabbed him and pushed him toward a nearby doorway.

"This is my boat, and we're in Theramore waters. If they find you here, they will kill you!"

"I'm a druid, remember? I specialize in getting out of these sticky situations."

"Well, you better get to it, then. I need to show that we're complying with their instructions before they blow us out of the water."

He shifted into cat form and stealthed, which made her eyes widen even further. He whispered, "I'm still here. I won't go anywhere. Remain calm, and I won't kill anyone unless I have to."

She raced to the tiller, threw the throttle down to idle and waited impatiently as the boat coasted to a stop, bobbing on the sea waves. A moment later, the pursuit ship came to a stop a short distance away. The darkness and torchlight on the decks made it virtually impossible to see details. Then a dazzling light was turned toward their boat, washing out their view of the ship entirely. After a moment the voice returned.

"This is a routine inspection. Don't try anything foolish. What is your business here?"

Auryon stepped from the cabin and shouted back toward the ship. "I am carrying no cargo or passengers. My business is my own. Lady Jaina Proudmoore has personally authorized me to pilot these waters. What have I done that deserves this treatment?"

Her words met with laughter from the men gathered along the rails. There was a pause, then the voice replied. "We will need to verify your claims. The ship's boat will join you shortly."

Auryon remained on deck as she waited. She brought out her weapons and laid them in plain sight - she did not want anyone to assume a hostile intent. After a few moments, she heard the squeak of oarlocks and the grunting of the rowers. As they drew up to the boat, the spotlight went dark. She found herself unable to see much more than vague shapes, while the recent brightness caused phantom spots and shapes to appear before her eyes. She waited as the men clambered aboard the boat, then stepped forward.

"As you can see, this is a small boat. I can't carry much anyway, and I'm empty on this run."

The men fanned out around the boat, making a cursory inspection. The leader stepped forward to Auryon. He was tall for a human, nearly her equal in height. He appeared to have light hair, and he wore a cap with a strange insignia on it.

"You mentioned that you carry papers from Ms. Proudmoore. May I see them?"

"Of course. They are here in the cabin." She opened the door and allowed him to step through. He glanced around the room quickly, then motioned for her to step inside.

Across the small deck, Mato watched from behind a ladder. He had shielded his eyes from the spotlight. When combined with his catlike senses, he was able to see and hear the actions and conversations of the four men now scattered around the deck.

He noted that, if their job was to inspect the boat, they certainly did not show much interest in doing so. Two of them carried small packs of some sort, and all were armed. Each of the men carrying the packs was paired with another who appeared to be his guard. One pair approached his hiding place, and he squeezed further into the shadows.

"Hope this doesn't take too long - I was in the middle of a poker game with Garret. Winning, too."

The other chuckled evilly. "I don't know - did you get a look at the boat's owner? I suspect the lieutenant will take his time enjoying that one before he slits her throat. Fine piece of tail like that doesn't come along every day."

"'Tail' is right. That just ain't natural, no matter how fine she looks."

"Well, just get the charges in place and we'll be ready to blow and go soon enough."

The first snickered. "Think you got that backward. I don't want to be anywhere near when these things blow."

He opened the pack and began wiring a strange device to the bulkhead. The other man watched for a moment, then was distracted by something nearby. "I'll be right back - think I heard something in this other storage room." He walked through the doorway beneath the stairs.

After a moment, a pan clattered to the floor. The explosives expert glanced toward the doorway and called softly, "Everything okay in there?"

There was no response for a moment, then a voice called from the darkness, "Can you give me a hand with this? The lieutenant will want to see it."

He grumbled as he set down his tools, and stepped into the dark doorway. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he found himself face-to-face with the bared teeth of a large cat. He barely had time to register the random thought that the cat had _horns_ before it clawed him across the face and all went dark for good.

Mato stuffed both of the bodies into nearby storage lockers, then prowled out onto the deck. The other two men were standing at the cabin window, watching whatever was going on inside. His pounce knocked out the first, and momentum carried him into the other. The man took a deep breath to shout a warning, but Mato drove a paw into his larynx. Mato flipped him over the railing, where he floundered briefly. Suddenly a massive surge of water surrounded the man; he gurgled and sank quickly out of sight. Mato immediately grabbed the stunned man and tossed him to the same fate.

He moved to the window where the men had been watching, and quickly took in the situation. Auryon was alive and unharmed so far. Judging from the wicked blade in the lieutenant's hand and the murderous glare in his eyes, that would not last long. For her part, Auryon had been holding her own - the lieutenant appeared to have a bloody nose and a black eye. He also favored his left arm slightly.

Mato opened the door to hear the lieutenant swearing as he lunged toward Auryon. "You little blue bitch! After I'm done using your ass, I'll cut you into so many pieces we can feed ten crocs for a week!"

Auryon saw the door open from the corner of her eye, and a brief view of Mato before he stealthed again. The lieutenant was so intent on his prize that he failed to notice the open door. The first sign of the uninvited guest came when pain slashed across his chest. The cat's body hit his legs, the knife clattered away, and his head hit the floor with a ripe thump.

When his eyes were able to focus again, a large horned cat sat on his chest, teeth bared. The Draenei woman had retrieved his knife and now held it to his throat.

"Careful with that," he gurgled. "I keep it really sharp. You don't want to hurt yourself."

She chuckled scornfully. Then she glanced up at the cat. "You want to do it, or should I?"

To the man's surprise, the cat replied. "I have a better idea."

It only took them a few minutes to lash the man to the front of the boat. They installed and armed the explosive devices, trailing the remote detonators to the rowboat. Working as quietly as she could, Auryon repositioned the boat so that it pointed directly at the nearby ship. They retrieved what minor goods they could - Auryon lamented to learn that the men had destroyed her valuable bow. Mato climbed into the rowboat to keep it steady, while Auryon gunned the boat's engines and then leaped into the rowboat.

On the front of the boat, the lieutenant's eyes bulged as he watched the side planks of the ship rush toward him. With a sickening crunch, the boat plowed into the larger vessel. At the same moment, Mato triggered the explosive devices. A wave of heat and light washed over them. As the ship burned, they could see crocs and sharks thrashing around it, finishing off the dying men. Then, they drifted in the rowboat, lying quietly in one another's arms.

Eventually, the tiny boat struck solid ground as the sun was rising. According to Mato's estimate they had bypassed Theramore, drifting north to the boundary between the Barrens and Dustwallow Marsh. They worked their way north, avoiding all contact with others. Around midday they finally arrived in the tiny town of Ratchet.

Auryon turned stiffly to Mato. "Well, Tauren, I suppose this is the end," she said in a formal tone, though the tremble in her voice gave away her true emotions. "Your help has been much appreciated - not sure I would have made it through without you."

Mato smiled, then held up a hand. "One moment! There is something in my vault that I want you to have." He walked over to the nearby bank and returned a moment later carrying a large bow. "A hunter's weapon is her most treasured possession. Use this often, and think of me."

Her eyes overflowed with tears as she inspected the beautiful bow. It appeared to be made of bone, and was quite old. She started to speak, but he laid his finger on her mouth. "I know. But the boat is here, and you need to go."

He stood on the top of the hill and waved until the sail was out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3

"...and then Tamashi and I got our belly-buttons pierced and I got a tattoo on my thigh and we stripped down to our skivvies and danced on the mailbox in front of the auction house until such a large crowd gathered that Garrosh Hellscream came out of the Hold and yelled at all of us to be quiet."

Food wandered around his plate, never making it to his mouth. "Mmhmm... that's nice, dear."

A petite blue hand slapped down on the table. "Daddy, you haven't heard a word I said all evening! What is going on in that thick skull of yours?"

His eyes focused on the hand, then up at his daughter for the first time since he had arrived home. "Sorry, Lith. I'm just... kind of lost right now."

"No kidding." She sat down beside him, leaning against his arm. "So what has got my big, bad dad all lost in himself?"

"I'm not sure that you would understand. Or, you probably would understand, but can't really help."

"Try me."

He sighed. "You know how sometimes you make a hard decision and you think at the time that it is right? But then, once you have a chance to think about it more, you question yourself and wish you could choose differently? But by then the... opportunity... is gone."

"Only all the time. But there's more to it than that, isn't there? What's her name?"

"Auryon." Then his mouth fell open. "How did you know?"

"Dad, please. You've been wandering around here all afternoon like a lost puppy." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Okay, tell me everything."

He blushed. "Well, most definitely not _everything_."

When he had finished telling the story, she sat quietly, staring into the fire. Then she giggled. "You idiot. You cute, impossible, loveable _idiot_!"

"Pardon?"

Her face was suddenly serious. "Dad, when has what others thought, said or did _ever_ stopped you from doing what you thought was right? Look at me – when you brought me home to Bloodhoof Village, there were a few in town that were mad enough to spit. Tamashi told me that her uncle Arlo actually tried to have us evicted. But that wasn't enough; you then decided to allow me... no, _insist_ that I be allowed to enter druid training. Me, a troll orphan from the slums of Orgrimmar! It was fine when I was just a family member, they could ignore that. But having me enter training – that brought us both to the attention of everyone in Mulgore, for good or bad. If Gennia hadn't agreed with you to allow me to begin training, we could have been outcast completely."

She paused for thought, then continued. "You were right, the two of you won't be welcome in Orgrimmar or Stormwind anytime soon. But I think she was more right – the two of you could find your own place in the world, together. Daddy, you've been alone for as long as I've known you." She saw his glance, and held up her hand. "You know what I mean – _alone _alone. For once in your life, do something that is just for you, consequences be damned. You'll at least have me on your side. I'm sure Tamashi and Bookh would agree too."

He stared at her for a long moment, his mouth open. Then he shook his head in amazement. "Thank you, Lith. You're right – I'm an idiot." His eyes twinkled at her, then he continued soberly. "But now I have a different problem – how will I find her again, and how will I win her back even if I do? The last I saw, she was in tears on a boat to Booty Bay. A short flight from there to Stormwind, and she could be anywhere in the world now, probably hating me with everything she's got."

"Finding her might be the hard part. Girls usually like flowers and poetry. You're the best herbalist I know – you should have that part covered easily. How's your skill at crafting verse?"

"You mean, something like:

_Roses are red,_

_My daughter is blue_

_Violets aren't violet_

_But my girlfriend's blue too_"

She snorted. "Corny. That wasn't exactly what I had in mind. No, the point of poetry is to show that you've actually _thought_ about her – that you can't get her off your mind."

"For a young'un you sure seem to know about courting, or think you do."

A voice from the doorway chimed in, "And yet, you'd do well to listen to her – she has a lot more wisdom than we did at that age."

He turned toward the troll who stood there. "Bookh! How much of this have you overheard?"

"Enough to know that you're an idiot, and that you're wasting time sitting here talkin' when you should be out there lookin'." Her eyes twinkled back at him.

"Fel! Why is it that all the women in my life are _blue_!" He stomped from the room.

* * *

_She stalks the jungle_

_Of my heart_

_On hooves of light_

_Arrow on the string_

_Seeking a target_

_Blue arches surround_

_Her head in a_

_Crown of glory_

_Cat prowls beside her_

_Ready for the attack_

_Her tail engages in_

_A Dance of exquisite_

_Balance and grace_

_Her prey stands enthralled_

_By her fierce beauty_

_Horns, tail, hooves, heart -_

_Are we really so different_

_After all?_

_She fires!_

_I am pierced_


	4. Chapter 4

_Stomp stomp stomp stomp_

_Twang_

_Thump_

_Stomp stomp stomp stomp_

_Twang_

_Clatter_

"You keep that up, we'll need to buy new target dummies. You know you're supposed to shoot the target, right?"

"Shut up."

_Stomp stomp stomp stomp_

_Twang_

…

"Fel!"

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"No."

"Did something happen in Tanaris? I've never seen you so..."

"I said, shut up!"

_Stomp stomp stomp stomp_

_Twang_

_Clatter_

"_FEL!"_

"Guy trouble? Was that gnome bothering you again?"

"I swear, Nomaani, another word comes out of your mouth while I'm trying to take target practice, the next arrow goes through your throat."

_Stomp stomp stomp stomp_

_Twang_

…

"That would be so much more threatening if you could hit anything. What's gotten into you? You're usually dead-eye."

"A gut shot would be so much better for you? Oh, what's the point? He's probably got a wife in Thunder Bluff and another in Orgrimmar anyway."

"... I'm going to just pretend that my fingers were in my ears, because I thought I heard you say 'Thunder Bluff' and 'Orgrimmar'? Of all the uncivilized..."

"As if you knew anything about being civilized. Those Neanderthals that hang around with you down at the inn, most of them barely have two brain cells to rub together."

"Oh, this is suddenly about me now? Does my success with the men threaten you?"

"_Success!_ The only thing more empty than your head is the hope of having a meaningful conversation with one of them. No, you just go right on giving them a little 'accidental' flash of alien tits from time to time to keep them interested. I'd rather have a real conversation – a real relationship – with someone who's not a moron, who treats me like a woman, even if he is a Tauren."

"Ooh, a Tauren! They have such big muscles! I bet he smells like a cow, though."

"You're hopeless. I'm going back to Booty Bay. Or somewhere. Anywhere."

_Stomp stomp stomp_

"Auryon, wait!"

"Fine... what?"

"You really like this... _tauren_?"

"... Yes, and I think he likes me. I just can't figure him out. He said that we couldn't be together, but he waved at the ship until we were out of sight. It's like he wants us to be together as much as I do, but something..."

"He's already married?"

"NO! No. It's not possible – I was joking about that. No, it's something else..."

"Well, then he's an idiot if he doesn't want to be with you."

"I get it, though. He was right – it would be a hard life. But it's one I was willing to... I wanted him, not this stupid bow."

"Let me see that. He gave you this?"

"Yes, right before I got on the boat. He said, 'use it often and think of me.'"

"Auryon, have you looked at this thing? It has to be as valuable as... I don't know. It's incredible!"

"Yeah, really nice. It _obviously_ takes the place of my Tauren lover."

"Auryon, don't be a fool. It's not a piece of vendor trash – this was a really special gift. He wouldn't give you something this valuable just to blow you off. Believe me, I know about cheesy gifts."

"Aargh! Why does this have to be so difficult? So what do I do now?"

"When he figures things out, he'll probably come looking for you. You went to Booty Bay, right? So he will probably start there. That's what I would do – retrace your steps. Not that I've ever... _stalked_ anyone, you know... Quit grinning, I'm serious. Even if he never shows up, it will be a nice vacation for you."

"Thanks, Nomaani. You're a true friend. I need to go!"

"Have fun. And... good luck. I really do hope you find your... man. You could stand to get more action, if you know what..."

"Shut up."


	5. Chapter 5

She spotted them as they walked up the dock from the ship, arm in arm. _Damn! He __**does**__ have a wife. A troll, too. I should have guessed – the way he blew me off. So I was just one of many interracial conquests. What a hustler. Damn!_

She shrank back into the shadows of the alley, then ducked into a nearby store. _Best not to give him the satisfaction of seeing me._

The little voice in the back of her head reminded her, _But you were the one who pursued him. It's not fair for you to turn that around on him now. Maybe you should confront him – find out the truth._

_Shut up._

* * *

Lith'atal looked around with wide eyes. This was her first visit to Booty Bay, and the entire setting was foreign. Her head felt like it was spinning, there were so many new things to see at once.

"I'm going to start at the inn, to see if anyone knows Auryon or has seen her recently. Why don't you go check out the shops? Just be careful, and don't trust anyone."

"Okay, daddy. It's a small town - I doubt I can get very lost."

* * *

Auryon glanced up as the shop bell jingled. It was _his_ troll. She lowered her head and pretended to study the pottery more intently. From the corner of her eye, she watched the troll wander around the store, eyes wide. _He must not let her out much. I'm surprised that he's letting her wander around on her own._

* * *

She started to brush past the tall Draenei woman who seemed so intent on the store wares. But something made her pause. _That bow. Daddy had a bow like that. He said he gave it to..._

"Auryon?"

The woman turned, a look of disdain on her face.

"Are you Auryon? I am Matosawitko's daughter, Lith'atal."

* * *

The troll knew her name? Had he bragged about his conquest to his own wife? That was low, even for an uncivilized Tauren. The only words that she recognized were "Auryon" and "Matosawitko", but the anxiety in the girl's voice was obvious. Did she harbor the same resentment that Auryon now felt springing up? Was she going to attack, unprovoked, in the middle of town? Auryon looked her up and down. Not much to be worried about, there.

Auryon replied in Draenei, "I'm sorry, I don't think I know what you're talking about. Bitch." She stalked from the building.

* * *

Lith watched her go. It was Auryon – it _had_ to be! Even if it wasn't, Daddy needed to know. If she wasn't Auryon, maybe she knew her.

She raced up the street toward the inn. "Daddy, daddy!"

He was talking to the innkeeper. The news apparently was negative. He turned as she burst into the room. "Daddy, I think I saw her! Hurry!"

* * *

She had reached the platform in front of the tunnel when she heard him calling her name from below. She stopped, but did not turn.

"Auryon, please! I've been looking for you."

"And you've found me. Talk fast, before I put arrows in you and your little hussy. You've got a lot of nerve coming here, much less to bring her along."

"I don't understand. I'm so glad to see you. I realize that we didn't part on the best terms. But I thought..."

"No, you didn't think. _Tauren._" She spit the word like a curse. "As if a bow could make up for the fact that you drove me away so that you could be with another woman. With _her_. Goodbye, Mato."

"What? I don't... Wait, where are you going? Auryon, come back!"

She was gone, running through the tunnel. His voice trailed off behind her. She felt tears stinging her eyes – tears of rage, self-pity and sadness rolled up together. _How could he be so cruel? How could I have not seen it? I was such a fool to let him into my heart, and my bed._

_For somebody who thinks her honor has been offended, you sure didn't give him an opportunity to defend his own._

_Shut up._

* * *

"Daddy, what did she say? What happened?"

He stood silent in the middle of the street, mouth agape as he stared after her. _What happened?_ Finally he turned to Lith'atal, his face tight against the tears.

"She's gone. I don't understand!"

"What did she say?"

"I... She said something about how I drove her away to be with another woman. But I haven't. She was the only woman I have had in... has it really been ten years? Where did she get the idea that I had another woman?"

He stood quietly for a moment, then he continued in a voice thick with anger and sadness. "This was a mistake. We should not have come. Clearly I mistook our relationship or assumed too much. Another woman?"

After a pause, Lith spoke in a small voice. "Daddy, when I saw her – I talked to her. I tried to tell her... I don't know any language that she would know. I spoke in... Orcish, probably. I don't remember. But I called her by name. I was nervous. Maybe she thought I was angry with her? I don't know."

Mato wrapped his arms around her. "Lith, it's not your fault. I was taken off guard by her hostility; maybe if I could have explained the situation – who you are – she might have understood."

A muffled voice came from near his chest. "Daddy, where does that tunnel go?"

"Nowhere in particular – it just opens up into the Stranglethorn jungle." He held her out at arm's length. "Why?"

"So... she can't have gone far. Daddy, you have to go after her!"

Hope dawned on his face again, then it fell. "But what about you? You can't follow me - the beasts here are too difficult for you to handle."

"I'll wait at the inn, or explore the town. Don't worry – I can take care of myself, Daddy."

* * *

The crumbled stones of Gurubashi Arena loomed through the jungle mist when he found her. She sat beside the road, head buried in her knees as sobs shook her body. Around her lay the corpses of a dozen trolls. He dismounted and started toward her.

"Stay away. Leave me alone. Haven't you hurt me enough already?"

"Auryon, I don't know what is going on. What happened to you? To... us?"

"Like you don't know. Showing up with that little troll woman of yours hanging on your arm, and then pretending like she doesn't matter. Like I don't matter. I don't want to share you. I can't..."

"Lith? What does she have to do with us?"

She looked up sharply. "Didn't you hear what I said? I can't be with you when you're already with..."

He sighed. "I see it now." He squatted down next to her, taking her hand. "Auryon, Lith'atal is my daughter."

His... "daughter?"

"Yes. It's... a long story." He smiled. "Come back to town with me – I want you to meet her. I'll tell you on the way."

"Oh, Mato – I've been such an idiot. I should have known that you..."

"No! Really, it has been my idiocy all along. I should have never sent you away. I should have told you about Lith. I should have..."

She laid her finger on his lips. "Clearly we have some communication issues to work out. Let's just both take equal blame and call it finished."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" He rummaged in his pack for a moment, then held up a bunch of flowers with an apologetic shrug. "They're kind of wilted now."

"They're beautiful." She buried her nose in them, then took his hand. "I'd like to go meet Lith'atal now. If she's anything like her father, she must be a wonderful person."

"As I understand it, she's got a lot in common with her future stepmother, too."

She giggled, wrapping her arm around his waist. "That's not good..."


	6. Epilogue

_Somewhere in southern Kalimdor:_

She lay quietly, straddled across him with her head nuzzled against his neck. With one hand he massaged her thigh as he stroked along her spine with the other. She mumbled into his neck, "You are so good to me."

"Mmm. You are so good to be good to."

After a moment, she raised up to look at him. "Not to derail the mood, but I wondered something..."

"Well, it's too late now – better finish the question. I'll answer it if I can." He grinned slyly at her.

"The other day, you hinted that you had been in a serious relationship before. What... happened?"

He sighed. "That _is_ a long story – even longer than the story of Lith." He paused for a moment. "I'll see if I can break it down to a brief overview."

"We were intended for one another from a young age. Not an arranged marriage or anything – we just knew that we would be together. She was a Tauren from our village, a warrior. We spent every possible moment together."

"About the time that I ventured to the Moonglade for the first time, her brother was slain in a skirmish with the Scourge, somewhere in the Plaguelands. Fomaru was... she came unhinged after that. We started fighting over the most petty things, and she would stay away for days at a time."

"I eventually learned that she was spending a lot of time in the Undercity, and venturing out from there to the Plaguelands in search of her brother's killers. To me, one undead was no better or worse than another – not that you can tell the difference between them anyway. When she did come home, she chafed against home life and wanted to return to the battlefield. I was in druidic training with Hamuul Runetotem, and could not – did not want to – go halfway across the world on her personal crusade."

"This was in the early days of the Scourge, when people were still talking more of the Burning Legion than the new threat rising in the east. I don't think that many of us really understood what a massive threat they were, or would become."

"Fomaru became a mighty warrior, but she was driven by something... unnatural. We saw each other less and less, and it seemed that each time we left one another in an even worse state."

"Finally, about ten years ago, she did not return. I waited for news, but I knew that something awful must have happened. Eventually, I followed different clues and trails all the way to the Eastern Plaguelands, to Light's Hope Chapel, trying to find out what had happened."

He was silent for several minutes. She waited patiently, caressing his massive shoulders. Eventually he continued. "She had become one of the death knights – one of the Lich King's personal army of warriors. I don't know how it happened, how she was turned. She remained loyal to the Lich King when the battle of Light's Hope Chapel resulted in the splintering of the death knight order. She ended up in Northrend, a staunch supporter of the Lich King and a leader of Scourge battalions in Icecrown. I never saw her again."

He paused in thought again. "Northrend was hard for me. I joined the Argent Crusade, eventually reaching the rank of Crusader. But every day I feared that I would see her across the battlefield. I knew what I must do if that happened, but I feared it. I didn't know if I could destroy my one-time lover, even though nothing of that person, the woman I had loved, existed any longer."

"I never set foot within the Citadel. I understood – felt – the vehement hatred toward the Lich King, but revenge... it was not in my destiny to bring it. Every day in Northrend, it felt like my soul froze just a little bit more." He shuddered. "That's why I spend so much time in Tanaris and Uldum now – they warm me up. They are regions that are as polar opposite to Icecrown as possible."

She kissed him gently on the nose. "Thank you."

He looked at her with unspoken questions in his eyes. _For what?_

"For telling me all of that. It says a lot about a person, that they can unburden their souls without being a burden."

"I think that's what led me to adopt Lith..."

"... a burden? I'll tell her you said that."

"No, you won't – I still have to translate between the two of you, remember? But, no, that wasn't what I meant. When I found Lith, she was about the same age as Fomaru was when we first met. She still had that wide-eyed innocence – that joy of discovery – that Fomaru did when we were young. I wanted to pour myself into her, to see her grow into the young woman that Fomaru could have been. Should have been. The wonderful young woman that Lith has become."

She sighed and snuggled back down against his chest.

"Speaking of being a burden..." He poked her gently in the ribs. She squealed and pushed his hand away. "I've told my story. What about yours?"

She groaned. "My story is so boring compared to yours. Boy meets girl, boy likes girl, girl loves boy, boy leaves girl for girl's best friend whom he meets under a silvery moon that then explodes for no good reason."

"Did it fall on him?"

"No, more's the pity for that. I have not seen him in months, but he has not acknowledged my existence for years – pretty much since the day after we slept together. Oddly enough, his relationship with her didn't last any longer than with me. She went the other way from me, though – she has turned into an adrenaline and excitement junkie, always looking for her next conquest. I'd rather curl up by the fire with a good book and someone I love. Though now, I've got other ideas for what could be done in front of the fire."

She winked at him, then sat up and began grinding her pelvis against his.

"Again? We've only been here for a day and you're already trying to wear me out."

She pouted theatrically at him, though her movement never stopped. She could feel his arousal, despite his protest. "Fine, if you don't want to, you can just go take a cold bath or something."

He rolled his eyes, then ran his hand up her thigh and hip, across her belly to cup her breasts. "What, and miss another opportunity to enjoy these?"

"They're not going _anywhere_ for as long as I can help it."


End file.
